Lakehead University's Faculty of Business Administration is pleased to host the Canadian Council of Small Business and Entrepreneurship (CCSBE) Conference this year. The conference will be held virtually October 28-30, 2022.

This year's conference theme, Entrepreneurship, SMEs, and Sustainable Development, echoes the shared imperative of innovation in public, private, and social sectors upon the prominent and inter-related challenges in environmental, societal, and economic domains around the globe.

This conference focuses on diverse and inclusive approaches to advancing entrepreneurship and driving economic and social recovery across sectors and countries and adopts a comparative and international perspective in addressing topics related to entrepreneurship and innovation.

This year's conference theme focuses on the importance of inclusion in engaging organizations and individuals of diverse nature for their input and participation. Researchers, educators, entrepreneurs, administrators, students, policy makers and all interested in advancing entrepreneurship and small business will participate.

Keynote speakers include:

• Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade of Canada
• Rosalind Lockyer, Founder & CEO, PARO Centre for Women's Enterprise
• Jason Thompson, President of Superior Strategies Inc and Warrior Engineering Ltd.
• Wendy Cukier, Professor, Toronto Metropolitan University
• Gregor Sneddon, Executive Director, HelpAge Canada
• Heatherjean MacNeil, Entrepreneur and Visiting Faculty, Northeastern University
• Allyson Hewitt, President & CEO, Enactus Canada
• Kelly Lendsay, President & CEO, Indigenous Works and Founder and CEO, LUMINARY
• Sophie Bacq, Larry and Barbara Sharpf Professor of Entrepreneurship, Indiana University
• Jay Krishnan, CEO, the Accelerator Centre (Waterloo)
• Wendy Timpano, General Manager, Orillia Area Community Development Corp.
• Adam Straker, Program Manager, Future of Cities, Communitech

The Fall 2022 Journey alumni magazine is now online! Click here to read it.

These are some of the great stories featured in this issue.

WORLD EXPLORER AND THRILL-SEEKER

Trying to catch up with adventure photographer Jody MacDonald

HACKING THE HACKERS

An interview with cybersecurity expert Dr. Amir Ameli

BABES IN THE WOODS

Cracking Vancouver’s oldest unsolved murder case

JUSTICE FOR ALL

Evelyn Baxter’s legal career is a study in courage and compassion

KATE AND THE DRAGON

Can a winged monster and a knight be friends?

AN ENGINEER WITH BIG ASPIRATIONS

Avery Williams loves engineering’s transformative possibilities

NORTHERN LIGHTS AND ICE ROADS

Jacob and Meg Vander Ploeg have made a life in the Far North

Honorary Survivor, Elder Catherine McGuire, far right, raised the flag designed by Residential School Survivors and the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, which will be on display in the Agora for the month of September.

September 7, 2022 – Thunder Bay, Ont.

Lakehead University unveiled its new Every Child Matters crosswalk and raised a National Truth and Reconciliation flag on Wednesday, Sept. 7.

Lakehead raised the flag, designed by Residential School Survivors and the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, and unveiled the crosswalk in the Agora Circle with help from some local dignitaries.

The crosswalk is permanent and the flag will be proudly on display until the end of September.

“Raising this flag at both Lakehead University campuses is an important symbol of the work we are doing to honour remembrance and enact reconciliation to better serve Indigenous students and communities,” said Denise Baxter, Vice-Provost, Indigenous Initiatives, at Lakehead University.

“The Every Child Matters crosswalks remind us that every child matters and as a post-secondary institution, we must be vigilant in our education, research, outreach, and community service,” Baxter said.

“The crosswalks we've added to our campuses in Thunder Bay and Orillia are considered pathways, and they remind everyone, every day, that we must be vigilant to ensure that no child experiences the hurt of being taken away from their families," said Dr. Moira McPherson, Lakehead University’s President and Vice-Chancellor.

“In addition to these pathways, today we raised the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation’s Survivors Flag as another expression of remembrance – to honour Residential School survivors and all the lives and communities impacted by Canada's Residential School system,” Dr. McPherson said.

Fort William First Nation Chief Peter Collins said reconciliation must be part of educational systems locally and globally.

“This is important work that needs to be done both at universities and other educational institutions. The Every Child Matters Crosswalk is important to remember the kids who never returned home to their families – it is important for Canadians to remember this and those across the world that this occurred,” he said.

“This sends a strong message to those whose memories are still in our hearts and minds.

Thanks to the university for its continued work promoting truth and reconciliation. It’s important for every student attending university to see this Every Child Matters crosswalk and remember those kids who never returned home from residential school,” Chief Collins said.

Wendy Houston, President of the Thunder Bay Métis Council, was thankful to participate in this important event.

“Commemorating the tragic history and enduring impacts of residential schools is an integral step on our journey to healing and reconciliation. We must continue to do everything possible to support communities in their efforts to foster healing for survivors and their families, and to be reminded that every child matters,” President Houston added.

The event memorialized the children lost to the residential school system and honoured survivors and their families. Learning and commemorating the truth of Canada's history is an important part of the path to reconciliation.

Nishnawbe Aski Nation Deputy Grand Chief Anna Betty Achneepineskum said it’s encouraging that education institutions are acknowledging the true history of Canada and the original inhabitants of these lands and waters.

“The raising of this flag and creation of Every Child Matters crosswalks are positive steps towards truth and reconciliation. Participation in these events will help First Nations achieve milestones on their healing journey,” Deputy Grand Chief Achneepineskum said.

“Reconciliation efforts are important and necessary in the process of healing,” said Anishinabek Nation’s Regional Deputy Grand Chief Melvin Hardy.

“Outward demonstrations of support and acknowledgement of history, such as this, are beacons of hope for many and this crosswalk will be used by thousands and hopefully will touch as many. Hopefully people will take a moment to reflect on what Every Child Matters means, each time they use it.”

The Vice-President of Operations and Finance at the Lakehead University Student Union, Yamandeep Malhi, said similar to wearing an orange shirt, the unveiling is a way to acknowledge the truth – not only of Canada's colonial history, but of its colonial present.

“Today we recommit to justice for Indigenous peoples on and off campus,” Vice-President Malhi said.

“While these symbols are important, we also know the best way to honour the memory of the thousands of Indigenous children taken from their communities, cultures, and languages is with real action.”

 Dr. Moira McPherson and Honorary Survivor, Elder Catherine McGuire, cut the ribbon to unveil the
Every Child Matters crosswalk with help from local dignitaries.

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Media: For more information or interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Media, Communications and Marketing Associate, at (807) 343-8110 ext. 8372 or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.

Lakehead University is a fully comprehensive university with approximately 9,700 full-time equivalent students and over 2,000 faculty and staff at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead has nine faculties, including Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Graduate Studies, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Law, Natural Resources Management, Science & Environmental Studies, and Social Sciences & Humanities. Lakehead University’s achievements have been recognized nationally and internationally, including being ranked, once again, among Canada’s Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities in Maclean’s 2021 University Rankings; as well as included in the top half of Times Higher Education's 2022 World Universities Rankings for the third consecutive year, and the number one university in the world with fewer than 10,000 students in THE’s 2022 Impact Rankings (which assesses institutions against the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals). Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

ORILLIA — The Ontario government is providing $2.56 million to support the continuing Lakehead University-Georgian College partnership in Simcoe County. The partnership provides more postsecondary options in the region, including increased access to degree-level education, helping students gain the knowledge and hands-on training they need to get good jobs. Details were announced today by Jill Dunlop, Minister of Colleges and Universities at Lakehead University’s Orillia campus.

“Collaborations like Lakehead-Georgian provide students with local opportunities to build the knowledge and skills they need to find meaningful jobs,” said Minister Dunlop. “Investing in innovative learning opportunities for students is part of the government’s plan to build a skilled workforce that supports economic growth in the province.”

Nearly 3,000 postsecondary students currently benefit from this program, where students can earn both a university degree and a college diploma in four years. Programming is focused on meeting the changing needs of the local economy to prepare graduates with a mix of degree-level education and technical skills.

“Since 2017, Lakehead University and Georgian College’s formal partnership has provided students from Simcoe County and beyond with the opportunity to graduate from STEM fields of study with the best degree-diploma learning experiences available,” said Dr. Moira McPherson, President and Vice-Chancellor, Lakehead University. “Thanks to today’s Ministry of Colleges and Universities’ announced investment, this unique joint-offering from our institutions will be able to continue — improving access to degree-level postsecondary programming that nurtures tomorrow’s job-ready workforce — for years to come.”

“Georgian and Lakehead share many values – including student access to quality education,” said Dr. MaryLynn West-Moynes, President and CEO, Georgian College. “As the two recognized postsecondary institutions serving Central Ontario, we chose to partner to improve postsecondary attainment rates, which remain below the provincial average. We’re grateful for this important funding, which will provide enhanced experiential learning opportunities to benefit our students and further support regional economic growth and development.”

The partnership between Lakehead University and Georgian College increases access to degree level education in Simcoe County, helps support collaboration and research between the two institutions and promotes economic development in the region.

QUICK FACTS

• Both Lakehead University and Georgian College will each receive $1.28 million in funding to support the partnership in 2022-23.
• The Lakehead-Georgian partnership in Simcoe County was formalized in 2017.
• Students study at campuses in both Barrie and Orillia.
• Four programs are currently offered through Lakehead-Georgian:
  • Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical) with Electrical Engineering Technology advanced diploma;
  • Honours Bachelor of Arts and Science (Environmental Sustainability) Specialization in Ecosystem Management degree with Environmental Technician diploma;
  • Honours Bachelor of Science in Applied Life Sciences degree with Biotechnology – Health diploma; and
  • Honours Bachelor of Science in Computer Science degree with Computer Programming diploma.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• Learn more about Lakehead-Georgian
• Ontario colleges
• Ontario universities

From left, Philip Duke, Matthew Scott, Damien Grayda, Paul Graham, Felix Lasalle, and Cory Hubbard
(technologist), Dr. Yanglin Gong (faculty advisor) won first place at the regional competition.

April 13, 2022 – Thunder Bay, Ont.

The team representing Lakehead Engineering has won first place overall at the Student Steel Bridge Regional Competition held in Illinois April 7 to 9, organized by the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).

This year’s competition included eight categories: aesthetics, construction speed, lightness, stiffness, construction economy, structural efficiency, cost estimation, and overall performance. Lakehead’s team placed first in seven of the eight categories and came second in the other category.

Dr. Yanglin Gong and technologist Cory Hubbard supervised the team, comprised of fourth-year Civil Engineering students Damien Grayda, Paul Graham, Philip Duke, Felix Lasalle, and Matthew Scott.

The Lakehead Engineering team won the competition for Western Great Lakes region, hosted at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. They were the only Canadian university in this regional competition that featured over 400 students from 13 American universities.

Dr. Juan Pernia was faculty advisor for the ASCE student chapter. Technologists Morgan Ellis, Kailash Bhatia and Stefanie Stangier also acted as machinist advisors to the team. Josh Fiegehen, representing the student chapter, participated in symposiums and presented a technical paper.

“The whole Lakehead Engineering team has made us proud,” said Dr. Janusz Kozinski, Lakehead’s Dean of Engineering.

“It is an extraordinary achievement that demonstrates the excellence of our students with the support of all their supervisors. We will be cheering for them at the Nationals next month,” Dr. Kozinski said.

The annual Student Steel Bridge Competition, which began in 1987, challenges student teams to develop a 20-foot-long steel bridge to fit a given hypothetical environment.

Each team must determine how to design and fabricate a bridge and then plan for an efficient assembly under timed construction at the competition. Bridges are then load-tested and weighed.

After triumphing in the regional competition, Lakehead’s team will go up against top universities from across North America in the National Finals from May 27-28 at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia.

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Media: For more information or interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Media, Communications and Marketing Associate, at (807) 343-8110 ext. 8372 or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.

Lakehead University is a fully comprehensive university with approximately 9,700 full-time equivalent students and over 2,000 faculty and staff at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead has nine faculties, including Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Graduate Studies, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Law, Natural Resources Management, Science & Environmental Studies, and Social Sciences & Humanities. Lakehead University’s achievements have been recognized nationally and internationally, including being ranked, once again, among Canada’s Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities in Maclean’s 2021 University Rankings; as well as included in the top half of Times Higher Education's 2022 World Universities Rankings for the third consecutive year, and in the top 100 of 1,115 universities from around the world in THE's 2021 Impact Rankings (which assesses institutions against the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals). Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

Evelyn Davenport performed at Carnegie Hall on Christmas Eve in 2017 as part of the American Protege Competition.

March 3, 2022 – Thunder Bay, Ont. 

A Lakehead University music student overcame great odds to place first in the Crescendo piano competition held in December 2021, allowing her to participate in an online winners’ recital on Monday, Feb. 14.

From September 2020 to June 2021, Evelyn Davenport dealt with a serious overuse injury in her back and left shoulder, requiring months of physical therapy. This injury prevented her from practicing long hours at the piano and learning physically demanding pieces.

“Brahms' Ballade was one of the first new pieces I learned since recovering from my injury,” Davenport said.

Competing with this piece motivated her and helped build back up her confidence.

“Rediscovering my physical and musical independence has been a lengthy and difficult process, so I feel incredibly blessed to have performed this piece to the best of my abilities.”

Last semester Davenport started learning all six pieces in Brahms' opus 118. The Ballade is the third piece in the set. Out of the six, it is one of the more animated and demanding pieces, Davenport said.

She practiced this piece for approximately four weeks. While playing it, she focuses on the dense, big chords.

“I am focused on maintaining a relaxed wrist and arm throughout the piece for a powerful sound. The piece also has long, vocal-like melodies that Brahms is well-known for. I strive for a singing quality to my playing so these melodies can shine through.

“It was a perfect concert piece to showcase my musicality and technique,” Davenport said.  

This is her fourth time playing and winning a prize in the Crescendo competition.

The judge appreciated Davenport’s interpretation, commenting on her technique and how she made a full and noble sound. The judge also said Davenport “presented this piece with maturity, great poise, and artistry.”

Due to the pandemic, Davenport was unable to travel to New York to perform in person this winter. Although this was disappointing at first, it gave her the opportunity to instead perform in an online concert as part of the winners’ recital on February 14, allowing family and friends who would not otherwise be able to hear her play to enjoy the concert.

“I will have the opportunity to play at Carnegie Hall in 2023 because I won first place in the American Protege competition in October 2021 with a different piece.”

Davenport may participate in the Crescendo exchange program in Italy this summer, although she is not sure if she can because she will already be in Italy to play a solo recital at the winners’ concert for the Cremona program and the dates may overlap.

While in Italy, she will be playing Beethoven’s fourth piano concerto with the Cremona Festival Orchestra.

Davenport is extraordinarily grateful for all of the help she received along the way.

“I would like to thank my piano teacher, Evgeny Chugunov, my parents, Eric and Karen Davenport, my chiropractor Dr. Michael Pustina, and my personal trainer Tanice Marcella. I would not be where I am without their continued guidance and support.”  

Follow this link for a video of Davenport performing Brahms Ballade op. 118 no. 3.

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Media: For more information or interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Media, Communications and Marketing Associate, at (807) 343-8110 ext. 8372 or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.

Lakehead University is a fully comprehensive university with approximately 9,700 full-time equivalent students and over 2,000 faculty and staff at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead has 10 faculties, including Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Graduate Studies, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Law, Natural Resources Management, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Science & Environmental Studies, and Social Sciences & Humanities. Lakehead University’s achievements have been recognized nationally and internationally, including being ranked, once again, among Canada’s Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities in Maclean’s 2021 University Rankings; as well as included in the top half of Times Higher Education's 2022 World Universities Rankings for the third consecutive year, and in the top 100 of 1,115 universities from around the world in THE's 2021 Impact Rankings (which assesses institutions against the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals). Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

Discover the exceptional and unconventional learning opportunities – in person or virtually – this March.

Explore everything about Lakehead this March as we feature our seven exceptional Faculties over five unconventional days and 2 beautiful campuses. Visitors will get an opportunity to expand their learning and take part in in-classroom learning opportunities they will experience as a first-year student.

Hear from staff and supports covering residence, financial supports and bursaries, student activities and more. Join an in-person tour. Chat with current students. And . . . an opportunity to accept your offer on the spot. Can’t join us in person? We have five full days of virtual events for you to participate in and get ready for Lakehead University.

Running Monday, March 14 to Friday, March 18, each day will feature a specific Faculty Showcase and have both an in-person and virtual option. Register now by visiting www.lakeheadu.ca/marchbreak.

By: Nathan Taylor
Originally published in the Orillia Matters

An Oro-Medonte woman with a long track record in broadcasting, theatre and activism has received Canada’s top honour for the performing arts.

Rita Shelton Deverell is one of seven people to receive a 2022 Governor General’s Performing Arts Award. Hers is for lifetime artistic achievement.

Deverell has left her mark on the broadcasting and arts scenes for 55 years. She worked for CBC, where she produced Gemini Award-winning series, and was news director with the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN).

One of her longest-lasting legacies has been Vision TV, the world’s first multifaith, multicultural network, which she co-founded. She is also one of the first Black women in the country to hold the positions of TV host and network executive.

Winning the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award is “immensely gratifying,” Deverell said.

“I was totally surprised,” she said. “It creates a kind of soft glow in my heart.”

Deverell, who currently serves as Lakehead University’s chancellor, has had to clear a number of hurdles throughout her career.

In a video posted to the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards YouTube page, she spoke of the “racism, sexism, and corporate power plays” she has had to deal with.

“I am a woman and I am Black, and I have been operating in professions where we know there is systemic racism and sexism,” she told OrilliaMatters.

Deverell was hired by the Globe Theatre in Regina in 1971. It was before many theatres had even thought about “non-traditional casting,” she said, referring to people of different colours, genders and backgrounds.

She wanted to change that.

“Who ever said a medical doctor had to be a white man, for example?”

As for the corporate power play, she referred to her co-founding of Vision TV, which, at the time, was a not-for-profit network.

“That’s a difficult thing to do in the communications industry, which is largely a profit-driven enterprise,” she said.

Deverell is often referred to as a social activist, and much of that work has been accomplished through her various jobs and her efforts to promote equity, diversity and inclusion.

“Most of the social activism that I have done is not because I am in love with being an activist; it’s that I had to do these things for someone like me to be able to do what I do,” she said.

There is better representation now than when Deverell started in broadcasting, but there is “still a long way to go.”

Just as important as who is seen is “who owns it, who’s in executive management and who’s on the board of directors,” she said.

APTN is a good example, she added, because its owners and directors are Indigenous.

All of her experiences over the years have contributed to her successful career.

“I recognize that I am among a very small, privileged group of human beings,” she said. “I have been able to work for more than 50 years at exactly the work I think is important to do for the good of the planet as well as for the good of me, and I have been able to be paid for almost all of that.”

While it has been rewarding to receive a variety of honours, including being named to the Order of Canada, the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award stands out.

“The award means I am being recognized by my colleagues for that work, and there is nothing more satisfying than that,” she said. “It means a great deal to me and I’m sure it means a great deal to all the other laureates as well.”

Joining Deverell on the list of 2022 laureates are Fernand Dansereau, David Foster, Tomson Highway, Crystal Pite, Linda Rabin and Michelle Smith.

Governor General Mary Simon will hand out the awards during a ceremony at Rideau Hall on May 28.

Opera is Jessica Hayes’ forte

February 22, 2022 – Thunder Bay, Ont.

Lakehead music student Jessica Hayes spent the last two years mastering Si, mi chiamano Mimi, which earned her first place in the opera category at the Crescendo International Music Competition held at Carnegie Hall on Monday, Feb. 14.

She chose the song for Crescendo in 2019 – and then the pandemic hit, giving her more time to perfect it.

“At first it was just a lovely piece to me, but since I started it at the beginning of second year and now I’m finishing my fourth year, each year my voice grew and I learned more,” she said.

“I grew with that song and character, and that was the most consistent piece in my life. With the context of the song being so sweet and hopeful, I think that also helped me through the pandemic and I believe this piece will forever be special to me.”

Hayes was able to attend the Crescendo finals after coming in second in the semi-final competition in January, which she participated in by submitting a video.

She arrived in New York City two days before the competition, giving her plenty of time to see the sights and prepare for Crescendo.

After visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Russian Tea Room, Hayes prepared for the competition by practicing with piano accompanist Anna Vasilyeva, and with help from her personal hairstylist, her mom Lana, who works as a hairdresser in Thunder Bay.

Backstage before her performance, Hayes spent time in a dressing room once used by one of her favourite composers, Gustav Mahler, a world-renowned conductor who made his Carnegie Hall debut in 1908 conducting the New York Symphony Orchestra.

Then she found herself in the greenroom examining posters on the walls – for Maria Callas and other famous opera singers who performed at Carnegie Hall.

“I was a little star struck,” she said. “These were artists I listened to while learning my pieces. I wasn’t really nervous – I wasn’t thinking about the end result. I was just excited to be there and I was super calm while taking it all in.”

Performances started at 7 pm and Hayes found herself on stage at approximately 7:30, with Vasilyeva on piano, in front of around 200 audience members, including her mom.

“Going out there on to the stage, it was amazing. The audience was great. It was surreal. I had an out-of-body experience,” she said.

When Vasilyeva played the first few notes on the piano, Hayes began to sing while portraying the character of Mimi from Giacomo Puccini’s opera La Bohème.

After her performance, Hayes watched the rest of the competition in the audience with her mom. Then Hayes went backstage to learn she’d come in first.

She ran out to tell her mom the good news, which caused them both to cry tears of joy while standing on the sidewalk outside Carnegie Hall. 

Coming in first means Hayes will spend three weeks touring Italy this summer, taking master classes with renowned musicians and performing at auditoriums and conservatories.

She expressed gratitude to everyone who helped along the way.

“Professor Kim Erickson has been fantastic. She really shaped my voice into an opera voice. The private classes I took in high school with Alana Valente pushed me and encouraged me to take the leap into music as a career,” Hayes said.

“I’m also grateful to my parents Lana and David, and my stepdad Jim, professor Evgeny Chugunov, and my Thunder Bay accompanist Sean Kim.”

Follow this link for a video of Hayes performing Si, mi chiamano Mimi.

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Media: For more information or interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Media, Communications and Marketing Associate, at (807) 343-8110 ext. 8372 or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.

Lakehead University is a fully comprehensive university with approximately 9,700 full-time equivalent students and over 2,000 faculty and staff at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead has 10 faculties, including Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Graduate Studies, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Law, Natural Resources Management, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Science & Environmental Studies, and Social Sciences & Humanities. Lakehead University’s achievements have been recognized nationally and internationally, including being ranked, once again, among Canada’s Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities in Maclean’s 2021 University Rankings; as well as included in the top half of Times Higher Education's 2022 World Universities Rankings for the third consecutive year, and in the top 100 of 1,115 universities from around the world in THE's 2021 Impact Rankings (which assesses institutions against the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals). Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

Lakehead University’s Faculty of Science and Environmental Studies is pleased to announce that Dr. Vijay Mago, Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science, has been named as the inaugural SES Faculty-Based Research Chair for his planned program of research in “Computational Ethics in Natural Language Processing.”

This is a three-year appointment that started on January 1.

A committee of Lakehead University Research Chairs unanimously and enthusiastically recommended Dr. Mago for this position, commending him on his hard work to grow the graduate program in Computer Science during his time as the graduate coordinator and most recently as department chair.

They also noted Dr. Mago has a very good record and a history of collaboration with researchers in other Canadian and international institutions (including India, the United States, Greece, and the United Kingdom). His research partnerships and collaborations also include industry, government, and not-for-profit organizations.

Dr. Mago joined Lakehead University in August 2015. Since then, he has attracted over $2.1 million in external funding from a wide number of sources, including tri-council granting agencies (both NSERC and SSHRC), government, the public sector, and non-profit organizations.

He also has published research findings in a variety of high-quality international journals and conferences, and he has an extensive supervisory record. To date, 14 graduate students have completed their degree under his mentorship, and he is currently supervising seven MSc students, two PhD students, and one Postdoctoral Fellow.

The appointment committee members noted that Dr. Mago “has received an NSERC PromoScience grant for Niijii Indigenous Mentorship, which indicates his motivation and commitment for mentoring students with underrepresented backgrounds,” and that as Research Chair, he “will be able to fulfill his full potential as a supervisor and mentor.”

Dr. Todd Randall, Dean of the Faculty of Science and Environmental Studies, congratulated Dr. Mago on this significant achievement.

“Dr. Mago has demonstrated an excellent capacity for high-quality and impactful research in our Faculty and has made considerable contributions to post-graduate training to improve both the reputation of the Department of Computer Science as well as the University more broadly.”

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Media: For more information or interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Media, Communications and Marketing Associate, at (807) 343-8110 ext. 8372 or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.

Lakehead University is a fully comprehensive university with approximately 9,700 full-time equivalent students and over 2,000 faculty and staff at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead has 10 faculties, including Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Graduate Studies, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Law, Natural Resources Management, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Science & Environmental Studies, and Social Sciences & Humanities. Lakehead University’s achievements have been recognized nationally and internationally, including being ranked, once again, among Canada’s Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities in Maclean’s 2021 University Rankings; as well as included in the top half of Times Higher Education's 2022 World Universities Rankings for the third consecutive year, and in the top 100 of 1,115 universities from around the world in THE's 2021 Impact Rankings (which assesses institutions against the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals). Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.